Mrs. Nicky Kagan
Assistant Principal, Yeshivat Or Chaim
The Chagim are over and the weather is changing. Autumn is settling in and the leaves are changing colour. School has begun in earnest and suddenly the Grade 12s are faced with decisions about life beyond high school.
University! Yeshiva! Help!
What do I want to do? Where do I want to go? What does it all mean for my future?
Although I know it appears overwhelming, it is an exciting time. So let us all take a deep breath and approach this in a logical way.
There are many, many options for post-secondary education in Israel, the United States, Canada and specifically Ontario. I am going to focus mainly on Ontario. We have 20 universities and 24 colleges in this province alone, and they offer hundreds of different programs. These programs come in many different shapes and forms and students need to look at what is available.
Choosing a university and a field of study is often the first major decision our students have to make for themselves. While parents and guidance counselors play a key role in advising and helping students make these decisions, now is the time for the student him or herself to step up and be proactive in a process that impacts their future. Admissions officers from the universities always give the same advice when students ask what they should study. “Choose something you are passionate about and enjoy. You will do best if you like what you are doing.”
So how do you go about doing this? The key is research.
Careful research is essential to understanding both what is being offered as well as where. Students need to take their time and put in a concerted effort to really understand what it is they want to study, and where they want to go to study it. The resource electronicinfo.ca is excellent and provides students with information on all of the fields of study at the various universities and lists any prerequisites and the mark ranges needed to get into a particular program. No student should consider going to a university or college if they have not taken the time to visit the campus and meet with the departments and faculties they are interested in. This is especially important if a student wants to attend university away from home. All universities and colleges are only too happy to arrange tours and meetings, and I strongly encourage our students to take advantage of this. It’s important to note that each university or college is autonomous, and a program offered at one will not be the same as one that is offered at another. Each has different requirements, and students need to know what these are. They cannot simply assume that a program is the same as another based on name alone.
Students at Or Chaim and Ulpana have already begun this research process and were encouraged to attend the University or College Fairs that have already taken place. University and college visits are continuing in school, and we have a Post-Secondary Night scheduled for Wednesday, November 7 where we will outline the application process and parents and students will have the opportunity to listen to presentations from several post-secondary institutions.
During this period we will also schedule individual planning meetings with each Grade 12 student to offer guidance and discuss choices for after graduation. We are here to help, but ultimately the responsibility for this rests with the student. This is very important for the students to be aware of because universities communicate directly with the student, not parents or guidance counselors. All communication is via email, so once a student has applied he or she must check their email regularly and read any messages. Some programs require supplementary applications and all the information is sent directly to the student. Many programs will allow students to defer their offer if they are going to Yeshiva or Seminary in Israel, but there are a few that do not. Deferment can only be applied for after the student has accepted a program. If, during the year in Israel, a student decides that they want to change their area or direction of study, they can reapply to other programs and universities. The process is the same as applying the first time, just on another form.
There are other considerations like Student Support Services and other resources available for individual students on each campus. It’s important for students to research these resources and understand what is offered, as enormous resources have gone into developing these services in recent years. University can be costly and OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program) is available.
I know much of this may sound overwhelming, but the transition from high school to post-secondary education is exciting. If students do their research, speak to people already enrolled in programs that they find interesting and make use of all the resources we offer, they will be able to make informed choices and be ready to embark on the next stage of their lives with confidence.
